The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has dismissed a viral claim made by the ABP News YouTube channel that said police opened fire on protesting students in Delhi. The government’s fact-checking unit confirmed that the claim is completely false.
⚠️Fake news alert!
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) July 28, 2026
🚨An ABP News YouTube thumbnail is circulating online, claiming that students were fired upon in Delhi during the late-night hours. #PIBFactCheck:
❌This claim is #Fake.
✅ There has been no such incident in Delhi at midnight.
⚠️ Always rely only on… pic.twitter.com/8ZCmA68tSY
PIB says no such incident took place
According to PIB Fact Check, there was no incident in Delhi where police fired at students during the midnight hours. The government’s fact-checking unit clarified that the viral claim is fake and asked people not to believe or share such misinformation.
PIB advised the public to depend only on official sources while checking news related to government matters. It said that relying on verified information can help stop the spread of fake news and rumours online.
People asked to report misleading content
The fact-check unit also appealed to people to report suspicious or misleading content related to the Government of India to @PIBFactCheck and [email protected]. It also urged social media users to verify information before forwarding it, especially when it concerns public safety or law and order.
The clarification came after the ABP News YouTube thumbnail falsely claimed that police had fired on protesters in Delhi, a claim that PIB has categorically denied.
In the aftermath of the CJP protests and march to Parliament that turned violent on July 20, several incidents of clashes were reported between the police and protestors. While the government has accepted the CJP’s demand to make Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign and take back FIRs filed against the protestors, the false claims of police firing had the potential to further trigger unrest and confusion.
Delhi Police had clarified in a statement that adequate force was used against protestors only when it was necessary to maintain law and order and security in prohibited areas. The permission for protests was given for only the Jantar Mantar area, and police had to intervene when protestors tried to march to the Parliament when the Monsoon Session was ongoing.
